Why Teachers Quit
Published in the Decatur Herald & Review on Oct 18, 2005.
Dear Editor,
In response to the recent letter by Mary Lou Meyers, teacher retention is a major issue within public education today. It is true that teachers are leaving the profession in droves. It seems only logical that qualified, gifted, and experienced teachers would be an asset to any school or district. However, as a retired (early) teacher with nearly 30 years classroom experience, I can say with some authority that logic has very little to do with modern public education.
Some believe that it is low pay that drives teachers to seek more lucrative pursuits outside of education. But it is not the money that drives good teachers at their peak effectiveness into new careers or early retirement. It is disruptive students, hostile parents, and most significantly, nonsupportive, incompetent administrators. Too many administrators 1. are unresponsive to teachers' needs, 2. are reluctant to apply appropriate discipline to wayward students, 3. are fearful of imagined threats from hostile parents, and 4. do not provide administrative support for faculty members. The predictable result is chaos in the classroom. If the administrators do not support the teachers, classroom discipline disintegrates, parents grow hostile, and teachers get discouraged.
Furthermore, teachers provide a handy scapegoat for the progressive elements in society. Whenever something goes wrong with the schools, these progressives cook up some impressive scheme based on vague statistics that is "guaranteed" to fix the problem. When the schemes invariably fail, the progressives point their trembling, tear stained-fingers at the teachers and say, "we need more accountability." In addition teachers routinely receive outraged indignation from parents for failing to raise their kids properly. It's very frustrating.
Sincerely,
Being a teacher in a modern public school is not unlike beating yourself in the head with a brick. Sooner or later, you realize that it's time to stop.
Dr. Donald Gruber, EdD
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